Music teacher's wife doesn't believe he sexually abused students (video)

Anton Fomin, second from left, a former teacher at the Malvern School of Music is led out of Magisterial District Judge Thomas Tartaglio’s court in East Goshen in this recent file photo.
Staff photos by Tom Kelly IV

EAST GOSHEN – The wife of a piano teacher accused of molesting several of his young students said Wednesday she does not believe the allegations against her husband.

Anton Fomin, 44, waived his right to two preliminary hearings on Wednesday in connection to allegations that he sexually abused five 6-year-olds and an 11-year-old during private piano lessons at the Malvern School of Music.

Fomin briefly appeared before Magisterial District Judge Thomas Tartaglio on Wednesday to waive the preliminary hearings. Fomin faces a slew of felony abuse offenses in separate cases after investigators filed two sets of charges against him earlier this month.

The only word Fomin said during the proceeding was “yes,” which he said quietly several times while answering Tartaglio’s questions. He wore the same striped sweater that he did at the time of his arrest; an unshaven face was the only difference in his appearance.

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Following the hearing Fomin’s wife, Tatiana Abramova, said she did not believe her husband would harm children and said she believes there is more to the story.

“He is my husband, and I trust him,” said Abramova. “He is a noble man, I don’t believe he would do anything to harm those children. He wouldn’t be able to harm anyone, I know he wouldn’t.”

Abramova said she has been with her husband for more than 20 years, since they met in Russia before moving to the United States, and in that time she has never seen anything to make her believe he is capable of harming children.

“I just hope this works out for my family,” Abramova said. “There is more to it.”

Despite Abramova’s confidence in her husband, prosecutors say the evidence suggests otherwise. According to a criminal complaint filed by investigators, a total of six children have come forward to accuse Fomin of abuse.

Three of the children allegedly told investigators that Fomin touched them inappropriately during private lessons, according to the complaint. Three others allegedly reported that Fomin showed them pictures of nude children and adults during their lessons, but did not tell investigators that he ever touched them.

Investigators also executed a search of Fomin’s East Pikeland home and allegedly discovered photographs of nude children and adults, including himself, on his personal computer, according to a criminal complaint.

After Wednesday’s proceeding, Fomin’s cases will now head to the Chester County Court of Common Pleas, where he will face trial on over 40 counts of sexual abuse and related offenses. A formal arraignment was scheduled for July 3, according to court records.

Following the waiver Fomin was transported back to Chester County Prison in lieu of $300,000 bail for each case.